News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Muslim insurgents suspected in this morning’s bombing outside police living quarters
Muslim insurgents are suspected in the detonation of a car bomb in front of a row of townhouses, the official living quarters of staff at Pattani’s Mayo Police Station. No one was killed or injured in this morning’s bomb attack. Luckily police spotted the vehicle while it was being parked around 4am. The official barracks for the local police are…
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Police arrest two men with a kilo of meth-amphetamine
Border Patrol Police are searching for a third man, named only as “Gong”, implicated by one of the two suspects, after the arrest of 23 year old Teerasak “Dome” Somwang and 33 year old Non Rittichai, a Nakohn Si Thammarat resident, with one kilogram of crystal meth valued at 2 million Baht. The arrests follow an investigation by an undercover…
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Para-sailing ‘beat up’ in UK press
OPINION A story from metro.co.uk shows a ‘terrified toddler’ being ‘forced’ to take a parasailing flight on Patong Beach. The headlines blasts ‘Father forces terrified toddler to go paragliding with him in Thailand’. In the ‘Beat Up of The Day’, the Metro article has somehow turned a bad parenting story into a Patong Beach and Parasail Operator-bashing session. It might certainly…
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Air Asia under fire over racial discrimination at Don Mueang
A Bangkok expat has taken to social media to share an open letter to Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia, after facing what he describes as “Racial Discrimination” by airline staff at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. Philip Culbertson describes in detail how check-in staff questioned his group for an hour, demanding to see US$800 each from his wife and…
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Japanese man gets bitten by ‘something’ at Kamala
A 25-30 year old Japanese man was calling for help yesterday (Wednesday) after getting attacked by a mystery marine creature at Kamala Beach which left him with some severe, deep wounds. Kamala police and locals in the area have surmised that the wounds seem to have resulted from sharp teeth, perhaps even a shark. The man suffered a deep wound…
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Ten year ‘Geeza Visa’ now available for Retirees in Thailand.
The 10-year visa for foreign retirees is now available at an Immigration office near you. Despite the top Immigration officer’s announcement today many offices are unaware of the change and new availability of the 10 year visa option. Lt. Gen. Natthathorn Prohsunthorn says the new visa comes in two installments, each lasting five years. Foreigners from 14 countries who meet…
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THAIGER TODAY @ Ao Sane Beach. Wednesday, August 16
We headed down to Ao Sane Beach today to check out the controversial villa | Red-light cameras are working TOO well | Security officers will be protecting Supreme Court Judges leading up to the Yingluck verdict.
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Rocks ain’t clams! Phuket man complains after finding stones in his seafood.
39 year old Kittiphon Chuensrinuan, from Phuket, headed to the Phuket Office of Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) yesterday to complain about overpriced clams sold in a seafood shop in front of the Rawai Sea Gypsy village. The display of clams also contained stones. He took photos and brought some of the stones as evidence. “First of all, the price at…
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Some changes for traffic flow at Phuket International Airport
Phuket International Airport is about to readjust the traffic flow in front of the domestic terminal as well as the pick-up point for arrivals. The readjustment aims to separate the arrivals and the departures of the domestic terminal and will start from August 19. The arrivals pick-up point will be moved to the elevated platform that has been recently renovated…
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Supreme Court Judges under protection in lead up to Yingluck verdict
Security officers will be sent to guard judges in the high-profile case involving former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to maintain order ahead of the announcement of a verdict. The panel of nine judges hearing the case in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders, and their residences, will be under guard until after the court delivers its verdict…
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Luxury property on the hillside of Ao Sane to be partially demolished
The 12-meter high beach villa project on the cliff at Ao Sane has been proven to be illegal according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The owners have been instructed to demolish the upper structure to meet the legal height of 6 meters. Meanwhile, Phuket’s Governor has set up a committee to investigate the Rawai Municipality who issued…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, August 15
Soggy start to Tuesday | Government pushing ahead with media controls | Bombardier Monorail coming to BKK | Activists urging Government to come up with long-term flood solutions | Belgian couple accuse ‘police’ of scam.
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Governor warning Phuket residents about more floods and storms
PHOTO: Suntorn Yangyuen Following the heavy rain that continues from last night, Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, is expressing his concerns about more flash flooding and storms in many areas across the island. “According to the TMD (Thai Meteorological Department) Office of the Southern West Coast, from today until August 19th, there is a moderate Southwest monsoon that is affecting the…
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Government ramping up its plans to control Thai media
The military government’s so-called “agreement of truth” will likely include a mechanism to oversee media in the name of ensuring the press “act responsibly to society” by following an imposed code of conduct and professional morality. The agreement will likely require approval from major political parties before being put into practice. But the same mechanism will also help protect media…
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Send in the cavalry. Extra immigration staff being sent to Don Meuang and Suvarnabhumi
About 200 immigration officials from immigration offices around the country are being rallied and sent to the beleaguered Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang international airports in the hope of coping with the incoming traffic. Both airports have been shamed into action after social media posts have snapped photos of hordes of unprocessed incoming tourists waiting to be processed by Immigration officials.…
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Belgian couple fleeced of 100 Euro by ‘police’ in BKK
A Belgian couple are claiming they were detained and robbed by Bangkok police on the last day of their holiday. 28 year olds Maxime Kempeneer and Noel Borgs are making big news in Euro social media. According to their story, the robbery happened on August 10. Maxime says the couple had been backpacking and were in Bangkok to catch their…
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Six day ultimatum – Cambodia to Laos.
Cambodia’s PM has issued a six-day “ultimatum” to Laos – to remove a group of troops who have allegedly trespassed across their border, or face a military response. “We don’t want to have a dispute with Laos, but we also cannot allow the situation remain like this anymore,” said PM Sen, adding that he was running out of patience with…
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Demands for recovery of Thai student bodies in California
Several Thai associations in California will gather today to call for US authorities to speed up the recovery of the bodies of two Thai students and their rental car, according to a respresentative. The comments were made in a video posted by by Siam Town US’s Facebook page. The gathering would include representatives of at least five Thai associations in…
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Suspects arrested over Rawai murder
After having arrested a Burmese worker, 24 year old Han Noui Lane and his alleged accomplice 32 year old Ang Htoui O in Kathu, Chalong Police have taken the men to the crime scene, a staff room at the back of restaurant in Rawai, for a reenactment. Han Noui Lane has been charged for murdering his ex-girlfriend, 24 year old…
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Phuket security at ‘maximum’. Seven southern provinces warned.
Security is being ramped up in some southern provinces today including Phuket, Trang, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phangnga and Krabi. Police have put the security level at ‘maximum’ reflecting their concerns over possible violent anniversary attacks after last year’s bombings and arson on August 11 and 12. Ten bombs went off and five fires broke out…
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Starfish collectors on Koh Racha Yai off Phuket
Facebook user, Khanchit Klingklip, has posted photos of tourists handling a variety sea creature, including starfish off Racha Yai Island. The post read… “again, destroying the property. Who caught it? Who is taking responsibility?” Suchart Ratanruangsri, Director of Marine Resources Conservation, says they’ve already had staff investigating the matters raised in the post. They didn’t locate the tour boat but…
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THAIGER TODAY. Friday, August 11
Government keeping an eye on former PM Yingluck’s supporters | Huge drug bust in Songkla | More paperwork delays in the extradition of Red Bull heir | BKK journalist arrested over investigative story about Deputy PM’s brother.
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Bangkok Deputy Governor’s bad case of foot-in-mouth
EDITORIAL Yesterday we reported on the current figures relating to HIV infection in Bangkok. Although the statistics look bad, in isolation, the general trend is of reduced new infections. The 2,000 new infections of HIV in Bangkok over the past year are not significant when compared to the city’s population of (probably) over 10 million. But getting the story completely…
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Pattaya taxi driver knocks out foreigner
A Pattaya cabbie has flattened an unidentified foreigner, punching him in the face and knocking him unconscious. Police headed to Pattaya Soi 2 and found the 40 year old farang recovering next to the footpath after locals had dragged him off the road. Emergency volunteers treated him at the scene before transporting him to hospital. For his part, the 46…
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Crushed under an elevator at Patong Hotel
32 year old Suthep Lookyee, working as a hotel bellboy, has died when squashed under the hotel elevator trying to retrieve his keys. The accident happened in a hotel in Patong (name provided but not published) on the basement floor in the elevator service area. Investigators say Suthep dropped the keys into the elevator shaft so he went…
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Protest brewing over slow response to a search for missing Thai students in the US
American authorities are facing protests if they don’t expedite the retrieval of the bodies of two Thai postgraduate students believed to have died in a car crash almost two weeks ago in California, the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles has said. Protests are planned in Fresno county, the scene of the accident, and Los Angeles, as frustration mounts with the…
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SEA Games starting on August 19
The Malaysian South East Asian Games contingent has one aim – one, one, one. The target is to win 111 gold medals and be the top gun of the 29th SEA Games, which is being hosted by the country from Aug 19 to 30. The target was announced by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin after Prime Minister Datuk Seri…
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Direct flights from Phuket to India from GoAir.
India budget carrier GoAir is launching its overseas operations with flights from Mumbai to Male in the Maldives as well as Phuket. The airline, owned by the Wadia Group, has been waiting for the delivery of its new generation Airbus 320 Neo planes before starting the overseas legs. GoAir says it will start flights to Phuket in October. It’s the…
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US Embassy in Bangok offers condolences
The US Embassy in Bangkok has expressed condolences to the families and friends of the two Thai students that appear to have been involved in a tragic accident in California. In its two-sentence statement, the Embassy said: “We are closely following the situation and express our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the two Thai students involved in…
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Want to win 100,000 baht? Name the new skywalk.
In case you’ve been away or just not read the news for a few weeks, Bangkok has a stunning new walkway above the Pathum Wan intersection. It’s cost 300 million baht and taken two years to construct. But it’s now open and become the new place-to-meet-friends in the capital. But the Skywalk doesn’t have a name. The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority…
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